Recover Or Die
by VG LittleBear
Summary: One shot - Tag to "Neverland" s12 ep.24 - Leading up to the moment/Getting help for Gibbs - (angst/hope) - Dialogue: Tony DiNozzo, Joanna Teague, Shada Shakarji, etc. - SPOILER warning: 12x24 "Neverland", 12x23 "The Lost Boys", 7x06 "Outlaws and In-Laws", 5x10 "Corporal Punishment".


**Disclaimer:** The following story is a work of fiction. The characters (except 'Sunny' who is mine) are borrowed from the CBS network show NCIS for personal entertainment purposes only. No profit is or shall be made from this fan tribute to the show which is owned by TPTB. Any resemblance to actual persons is purely coincidental.

 _ **Not mine either:**_ "Surfin' USA", a song from the Beach Boys, and "Star Trek (TOS)" as in 'The Original Series' (1966-1969).

Set in time: NCIS 2015, a tag to "Neverland", season 12, episode 24

Spoiler warning: 12×24 "Neverland", 12×23 "The Lost Boys", 7×06 "Outlaws and In-Laws", 5×10 "Corporal Punishment", minor spoilers for other episodes in season 12

Main characters: Tony DiNozzo, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Joanna Teague, Shada Shakarji

 _ **A/N: I hope you'll enjoy my story and I'd be pleased about learning your thoughts on my take. It is intended as a one-shot.**_

* * *

 **Recover or Die**

(by VG LittleBear/vglb)

* * *

 _Back at the CIA safe house, the phone sitting at the table started playing "Surfin' USA". Annoyed, the phone's owner grimaced at his colleagues, his own preference being the music from the original "Star Trek" series. He liked the hope that universe had represented to the world back then. Boldly go where no man has gone before. - Right over the edge, apparently._

 _"Really? Who played around with my phone again?" groused the man, as he picked up with a barked "Sunny!"_

 _The men present had been playing poker, relaxing after dropping off a local couple working for the CIA who had briefed Officer Teague at the market, having taken her, as well as Special Agents Gibbs and DiNozzo from the airport to the busy market center of Zakho in their van earlier._

 _Throwing his - most likely - winning hand down, he decided right there that he'd better set the cell phone to vibrate when he left the house. Attentively, he listened to the urgent summons._

* * *

Sunny had recently returned from a week's vacation spent surfing. Dark haired and skin sun-kissed, he looked that much closer to the people of old Kurdistan. Intentionally or not, it was helpful when trying to meld into the background of the Turkish/Iraqi borderland. But then his nickname was 'Sunny', and he used no other, not even with family. His current colleagues teased him mercilessly since he'd brought along his surf board to Iraq. It was one of the first things the threesome travelers learned at the airport when they had gotten into the CIA van.

Later, on their ride downtown, Special Agent DiNozzo had opened his mouth to join in the teasing, but a sharp "hey!" from his SSA stopped him. There was a time and place for levity, in the middle of their search for young Luke Harris was not.

The eleven year old teen with foreign origins had been bullied at school, and found himself recruited along with other American minors to join "The Calling". However, the child had been unable to shoot at the Federal Agents when they cornered him. While in custody of NCIS, Luke's adoptive parents had been shot dead in their home as a reminder to Luke, and Gibbs had found them. Unfortunately Luke had been along, too.

Gibbs had opened his own house to the distraught child, meaning Luke was in the presence of a woman from Child Services and an Agent on protection duty, when the kid had been taken away by his erstwhile friends. A BOLO had immediately been launched, and sooner than expected a sighting had been reported abroad from CIA personnel stationed in the Iraqi border town Zakho.

Still reeling from the events in Cairo, Special Agents Gibbs and DiNozzo had left DC within the hour in the company of Ned Dorneget's grieving mother, CIA Officer Joanna Teague.

* * *

Officer Teague was on the line when Sunny picked up. Her voice sounded composed, as she related what had happened, and that Gibbs needed a well equipped hospital.

How bad is it?" inquired Sunny.

Officer Teague told him: "Bad enough that time is a factor!"

"Most hospitals in the area are not safe for Americans," was the discouraging answer, so she inquired into their medical emergency plans. Not satisfied, she asked about the best hospital in reach.

Looking over to where Special Agent DiNozzo was still administering to Gibbs, she reached a decision.

"Take the van and get us. Special Agent Gibbs needs help now. Get whatever medical help you can scare up and take him there, we'll provide security at the hospital. Don't forget to bring your surf board, and cord, or anything to secure him."

Sunny didn't understand: "What ...?"

Impatient, Joanna explained: "It's either that, or unhinge a door. We need a flat surface to transport him!" and snapped the phone closed.

* * *

Daniel Budd had felt genuine pleasure at having distracted Agent DiNozzo, while Luke sneaked up to Agent Gibbs in the market place. Meanwhile their sister-in-conviction held the elder agent's attention.

Mishnev's material had been well worth the expense, thought Daniel. It had proved very helpful first in recovering Luke, then in keeping Agent DiNozzo occupied with how much he'd learned about him. The guy loved a good riddle, and Budd had given him the run-around. Too bad Mishnev had been killed, he'd have gladly worked with him further. Still, there were so many files on Gibbs and company. Too bad he had not gotten much on the woman who seemed to be working with the agents. No matter, he hadn't needed to distract her, a single woman in the market place had all the merchants converging on her as soon as she stood still.

The terror cell leader had watched in satisfaction as Luke had finally shot down his first Federal Agent. Little 'L' had been told it had to be the man that had made him doubt his chosen destiny. He needed to leave behind family and acquaintances who couldn't understand the need to get rid of their old-men governed system. No one could be allowed to redirect Luke's commitment away from 'The Calling', and once he'd understood, he'd performed admirably. Luke had been gone by the time Agent DiNozzo made it to the twice fallen Gibbs. Frankly, Daniel wondered why Gibbs had not pulled his gun after the first shot had made him fall.

Satisfied, Daniel had secured his phone to his belt. He turned as some of the youngsters came into the room overlooking the scene, which was now mostly deserted by the locals.

"Playtime over?" asked the dark haired boy who'd had his own run-in with the agent who so desperately sat over the downed agent now.

Daniel agreed, "Let's go!"

* * *

Tony had all but forgotten about grandma, as Mike Franks used to call her: Shada Shakarji - grandmother to Amira, head of a powerful, if greatly decimated family in Iraq.

Leyla Shakarji had kept Amira's birth and whereabouts a secret from her family. Her mother had banned her when she fell in love with Marine Corporal Liam O'Neill. Married in secret, but not recognized legally, he'd desperately tried to get her out, had gotten her smuggled into the US of A. Leyla's betrothed had died in the process. His father, whom he'd barely known, had taken reception of her and his first and only grandchild instead, and taken them to Mexico to his house on the beach. Gibbs had soon after visited and accepted the joys and responsibilities of god-fatherhood for Amira.

Tony had met Shada Shakarji on a spectacular case NCIS had gotten pulled in when Gibbs' boat 'The Kelly' turned up alongside a Navy ship. The Shakarji ladies finally reunited, Leyla's mother and Mike Franks had made peace. Which had extended to Gibbs when he became their unique protector when Mike died.

Sitting now beside Gibbs who was barely conscious, Tony remembered. He knew Gibbs needed to get to a hospital at the earliest to have even a fighting chance of surviving.

Pulling up his phone, he quickly got to Leyla's number, and pressed on the call function. Time stood still as he heard the call go through. Finally a change - a recorded greeting came on. Sighing he left a message to call him back with the highest priority.

That's when he realized that Gibbs' phone would have Shada's number. Still pressing one hand on top of his balled up jacket to Gibbs upper body to keep down the bleeding, he called to Joanna to get Gibbs's cell phone. For once he was thankful for his boss' unsecured old-style phone, directing the CIA officer to find Shakarji in the directory, then he took it out of her hand.

This time the call connected in record time.

"Agent Gibbs, is something wrong?" asked Amira's grandmother.

"Mrs. Shakarji, it's Special Agent Tony DiNozzo speaking. Leyla and Amira are fine back home. I'm in Zakho with Gibbs."

"You are Amira's Tony?" asked Shada, unsure of what he could want.

"Yes, I play Twister with Amira", answered Tony.

Satisfied Shada wanted to know: "Is this a social call?"

Tony grimaced, and looked closely at Gibbs before saying: "Gibbs has been shot, it's bad! He needs a hospital, quickly, but I don't know where it is safe to take him. Can you help in any way?"

Shada was calm. She had lost so many of her family, and she didn't want to lose her daughter's protector in the USA. Weaving to one of the young men in the court from the balcony where she presided above the family business, she called for him to leave immediately for Zakho. Talking into the phone once more, she told Tony to get Gibbs into a small private clinic.

"I will call the head of service there. He's a friend. Give me your direct number, I'll send you an email with directions. Show my email at the reception when you get there."

"Thank you, very much!" said Tony, just as the CIA van tore to a stop next to Gibbs and he.

Before Tony hung up, he heard Shada Shakarji say:

"Take care of Jethro for my daughter and granddaughter, Agent DiNozzo! I'll be in touch!"

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\- finis -

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 _ **A/N: To collect all stories related to the season spanning arc begun with 12×22, I've set up a NCIS Community "Season 12 Arc Tags for Finale".**_

 _ **In the case I've missed any stories worth knowing about by the time you read this, please contact me by PM, or use the review function to let me know. Thank you!**_


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